Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| amo-te | /ˈɐ̃.mu.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈɐ.mu.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
|
| (eu) te amo | ||
| (eu) amo você | Brazil |
These phrases are used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. While amo-te or te amo express deep romantic love, a lighter form of affection like "I like you" is expressed using gosto de ti or gosto de você.
Which one should you use?
The form amo-te is the standard way to say "I love you" in European Portuguese. In contrast, Brazilian speakers typically use te amo or amo você.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, (eu) te amo is the most common way to express romantic love in spoken Portuguese, while (eu) amo você is also used and is often perceived as slightly more direct or formal depending on the regional context. In Rio de Janeiro and parts of Southern Brazil, the phrase Eu te amo pra caramba is often used to mean "I love you a lot".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrases te amo or amo você, the pronoun eu (I) is often omitted because the verb conjugation already implies the first person.
How do you pronounce it?
amo-te is pronounced as /ˈɐ̃.mu.tʃi/. The first of three syllables is stressed.
Did you know?
- The word você used in amo você originally comes from the phrase vossa mercee, which literally means 'your mercy'.
- The Brazilian expression Eu te amo pra caramba uses a word that literally refers to a 'heavy load' or 'clutter' to mean 'a lot'.
- In Brazil, the omission of eu in te amo is so common that the pronoun is rarely spoken unless the speaker wants to add intense emotional emphasis.
Examples in context
- Amo-te de todo o coração.I love you with all my heart.This sentence shows how to express loving someone with your whole heart using amo-te.Tatoeba #7101021 by iart61, translation #68788 by CK
- Amo-te mais que ontem e menos que amanhã.I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.This sentence uses amo-te to compare the amount of love between yesterday and tomorrow.Tatoeba #2614247 by alexmarcelo, translation #2963419 by marcelostockle
- Amo-te.I love you.This is a simple way to say "I love you" using amo-te.Tatoeba #1382784 by tulio, translation #1434 by awael58
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Lucas are saying goodbye after a date.
- JulianaBoa noite, Lucas. Amo-te muito.Good night, Lucas. I love you very much.
- LucasEu também te amo, Juliana.I love you too, Juliana.
- JulianaAté amanhã, meu querido.Until tomorrow, my dear.
- LucasAté amanhã. Beijos!Until tomorrow. Kisses!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries amo-te, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
